API Tap Water Filter Replacement Cartridge contains super activated carbon and color-changing ion-exchange resin to make tap water perfect for aquarium use. Filter resin gradually changes color as it works - indicating effective filter performance and remaining filter cartridge life. Produces an average of 25 to 125 gallons of perfect aquarium water, depending on the mineral content of your tap water, before a new cartridge is needed.

The API Tap Water Filter makes approximately 10 U.S. gallons (37.8 L) of contaminate-free deionized water per hour. Tests of the filter showed an average yield of 50 U.S. gallons (190 L) of purified water and a typical maximum yield of 150 U.S. gallons (570 L), depending on the level of minerals and contaminants in the tap water source.

Changing the Filter Cartridge:

Unscrew the Tap Water Filter top from the exhausted cartridge. DO NOT remove the pad. Save the compression spring (if used). Rinse and save the gasket.

Unscrew the top lid from the new cartridge and remove the protective seal. DO NOT remove the pad.

Screw the Tap Water Filter top onto the new cartridge, making sure the compression spring and a rubber gasket are in place.

Screw the lid onto the top of the exhausted cartridge.

Turn the new cartridge upside-down; remove the bottom lid and protective seal. DO NOT remove the pad. Rinse and save the gasket.

Unscrew the Tap Water Filter base from the old cartridge; making sure a rubber gasket is in place.

Put the lid onto the exhausted cartridge.

The Tap Water Filter is now ready to continue making perfect water for your aquarium.

The amount of deionized water produced by the Tap Water Filter depends entirely on the level of minerals, heavy metals, phosphate, nitrate, etc. that is in your tap water. Each cartridge has a fixed ion exchange capacity. In New York City for example, aquarists can produce up to 300 gallons of pure water with a single cartridge. An aquarist in northern New Jersey, however, made 15 gallons of water. An analysis of the NJ water showed very high levels of copper, zinc, phosphate, nitrite, and nitrate in addition to the normal hardness minerals. A heavily polluted water source will use up a cartridge much sooner than a water supply low in minerals and pollutants. Most aquarists produce somewhere between 50 and 150 gallons per cartridge.

My original cartridge made 75 gallons of deionized water, the second cartridge made only 50 gallons. Why?

A.

The level of dissolved minerals and pollutants in tap water can vary daily. The level of these dissolved substances is measured as Total Dissolved Solids (TDS). The tap water in our laboratory varies from 200 to 400 ppm TDS on a daily basis. Our Quality Control Department pulls Tap Water Filters off the production lines and tests them with our tap water. They have to know the TDS of the tap water the day they test the cartridges. Why? A jump in TDS from 200 to 400 ppm means that a cartridge will produce only half as much water as the day before. It all depends on the quality of the incoming tap water. It would be unusual if you did get exactly the same number of gallons out of every cartridge!

Yes. Reverse osmosis systems can significantly reduce TDS levels if properly maintained. RO, however, is not nearly as pure as deionized water. Many aquarists run their RO water through the Tap Water Filter to scavenge out the traces of nitrate, phosphate, silicate, etc that the RO lets through. Running RO water through the Tap Water Filter will give you pure water and extend the life of the cartridges. DO NOT connect the Tap Water Filter in-between an RO system and a pressurized storage tank. The Tap Water Filter is a low-pressure system and cannot stand the pressure of a closed RO system. Simply let the RO water pass through the Tap Water Filter and collect the water in a bucket or storage container.

The Tap Water Filter makes pure water. Why can't I drink the water made with the Tap Water Filter?

A.

We state on the package that the Tap Water Filter is not intended for human consumption. No doubt you've heard about bacterial and parasitic contamination of drinking water. The Tap Water Filter does not remove or kill bacteria or parasites that may contaminate drinking water. If your drinking water was contaminated with bacteria or parasites, the Tap Water Filter would not produce safe drinking water. Recent studies have shown that tap water filtration systems sold for making drinking water very quickly become contaminated by bacteria. This is especially true of reverse osmosis filters. Any tap water filter used to make drinking water need to be disinfected every six months. This includes the filter housings and tubing. Therefore use the Tap Water Filter only for your aquarium.

No. Water softeners simply exchange sodium ions for calcium and magnesium ions. The softener is just trading a calcium (+2 charge) for two sodium ions (+ 1 charge x 2). The resins in the Tap Water Filter do not distinguish between sodium ions and water hardness ions ... it's all the same to the resin. The two sodium ions use the same amount of resin capacity as the single calcium ion.

The open space forms as the resin compacts in the cartridge. We strive to pack the resin as tightly as possible to avoid the compaction space. An open space is not detrimental to water quality. You might also see some of the resins settling down into the open space. A small amount of resin swirling in the open gap is acceptable. The entire resin bed, however, should not separate.

When I make saltwater water the pH never stabilizes to 8.2-8.4. Does deionized water lower pH?

A.

No. Deionized water has no pH adjusting properties. The pH of your marine aquarium is regulated primarily by the buffer system created by the synthetic sea salts. If the salt manufacturer does not properly blend in the buffer salts the final solution will have a pH other than 8.2-8.4. Some synthetic sea salts consistently run "low" or "high" depending on the manufacturer's formula and blending techniques. Tap water may contain a significant amount of carbonate hardness (KH), which boosts the pH of "low pH sea salts". When you start using pure water, you might need to use a pH buffering product to raise the KH of the saltwater and increase the pH.

Clean, pure water is a priority for all fish and plants. No equipment is more effective in helping create ideal water conditions as Reverse Osmosis units. Use the following chart to help you choose the best RO Unit for your aquarium system.

You may think your tap water is perfect because it looks clear, tastes good, and is odor-free. But you cannot see, taste, or smell all of the minerals, bacteria, nutrients, and chemicals present in your water. Learn how an RO Unit will help.

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Tap Water Filter Cartridge w/Gasket
4.5
5
36
36

Bonsai trees love the filtered water.
The water that I use on my bonsai trees has definitely enhanced their health. Moss is growing and the foliage is increasing. I wish I would have thought of buying this product many years ago when I first started the bonsai hobby.
June 9, 2014

Great product
Just as good as the expensive RO.. Attaches to the sink easily - last long
May 29, 2014

indispensible
It isn't reverse osmosis but the next best thing. I wouldn't dream of using water from my tap until I ran it thru this filter. Sometimes our tap water has a sulpher or licorice smell to it. This totaly eleiminates the smell. The alernative would be to use bottled water, but it is too expensive. Great product! Used it for over 10 years.
February 4, 2014

simply the best water filter
This produce is simply the best water filter for aquariums. It is so simple to use and performs as described. I have never had any problem with my saltwater aquariums using this filter.
January 19, 2014

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Answers

Answer:

Yes it will remove all phosphate and nitrate from your tap water. Just make sure that your cartridge is not exhausted (all purple). It will not remove pathogens and bacteria so it is not equivalent to R/O.

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Somewhat. But I would say not enough for a phospate problem. This is more for cleaning the water prior to adding water to your aquarium.And not after the water is already in the aquarium. You need a phosban reactor or something similar for that. Most people buy the phosphate remover or phosphate regulating chemical to add to the water.Which they sell in most fish supply stores.

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It does remove phosphates. If your tap water is very "dirty" or if you need large volumes of water, you will be better off with a complete rodi system. But if your needs are modest and your water has low TDS to start with, the tap water filter produces excellent quality water economically.

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Thank you for your question. Although the Tap Water Filter will remove many impurities from the water, it will not produce the same purity rating as a regular RO system. If you are specifically looking to remove phosphates from tap water, the use of a standard RO/DI unit is recommended. In addition to an RO system, we also suggest using a phosphate remover in the aquarium filter such as Phosphate Sponge. This product is available here: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produ...

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Answers

Answer:

Says it will but personally I would really drop the filter output rate and test the water for ammonia before committing it to the aquarium. If it is still high lower the flow rate even more. Keep doing that or treat water for ammonia after it is filtered as an additional step.

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Yes it will however, depending on your water quality, these cartridges can exhaust quickly. You should get a handheld TDS meter and check your water. It may be more cost effective to purchase an RODI water filtering system. When you consider how many filters you will go through, compared to the cost of an RODI sytem and only having to change filters every 6 months, the RODI system wins out. I used the API Tap Water Filter for a year and a half and finally decided to upgrade. The Tap filter is just a dionizer and for aquariums you should have an RODI system.

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Thank you for your question. According to the manufacturer, occasionally there have been bubbles in the Tap Water Filter before use but that is not always going to happen. There is no concern and the filter should work perfectly. it is most likely that there is air in the tap water and what you are seeing is it trapped inside the cartridge as the water is flowing through. This is very common. However it is very important to check the flow rate of the filter itself. The bubbles could be an indication that the flow rate is too fast or even too slow. If the flow rate is not exactly what we, the manufacturer, recommend in the instruction booklet, then the tap water may not be filtered properly.

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Answers

You DO have to treat the water after it has been filtered with this machine. The water that comes out is actually TOO pure for fish so you need to add pH buffer and electrolytes to make it a little more normal (both of these come with the product which is nice). I'm not super familiar with Prime but I believe its main function is to neutralize heavy metals and chlorine - you would not need to neutralize anything after the RO/DI process. I also added stress coat and phosphorus and potassium for my plants. Hope this helps :)

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Instructions say you can if it is Marine saltwater. If freshwater you adjust with the provided PH adjuster and Electro-right. I have a saltwater and I add the water directly. Sometimes add sea salt if the reading in my aquarium is low.

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You do not need to treat the water after using this filter. This filter will remove chlorine, chloromines, and all of the bad stuff in city water that is not good for the fish. In addition to buying this I would also get a TDS meter and check each batch of water to make sure you are getting 0 readings. I used one for 2 years with great success. I have switched over to an RODI filtering system as it is cheaper in the long run.

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Answers

Yes, there is an indicator that will let you know when the resin is "used up." It will turn from green to blue. It will start turning blue from the bottom up, but you do not have to change it until the entire tube has changed.

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Unfortunately no. Page 6 of instructions say "When the Cartridge color change from green to Blue violet has progressed to the top of the column". Page 3 says average yield of 50 gals with max` of 150, with 15-20 gals in areas with high levels of Nitrate, phospate, calcium , and other minerals. I go for 50 gals and seems to be okay with my water which is really bad. Check with your water dept about your water quality regarding the minerals mentioned and see what they say as to degree. Worst case 20 gals with best case 150 gals. I have trouble seeing the color change mentioned but you can see it.

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Thank you for your question. The resins in this cartridge do undergo a color change in response to exhaustion. The resins that start out green turn blue as they are used up. This color change begins at the bottom of the resin chamber and works its way to the top. When all the resin beads have changed to blue, the cartridge is exhausted. Another way to tell is to check the GH of the output water. When the cartridge is still active, the GH should read 0. Once used up, you'll start seeing some hardness.

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